


Fun in an Elevator

by captain_morgana



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Domestic Avengers, M/M, Superfamily (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2018-02-19 01:06:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2368721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_morgana/pseuds/captain_morgana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Tony had been seperated for almost a year now. In a few short hours they would be officially divorced, all they had to do was get in the elevator and sign the papers waiting at the top.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Break

New York was different 70 years ago. The buildings were taller now, the roads were quieter and the people were friendly. Now the buildings were 15 storeys - minimum -, the roads were packed with cars, and the people glared at you as though you'd kill them. Steve was still unsettled by the changes, but he'd learnt to deal with it. After loving Tony Stark you could deal with anything.  
After.  
Although their marriage was the best years of Steves life, and there was a lot of life, it was also the worst. Loving Tony Stark was like living in a constant state of fear. Fear that he would kill himself from drinking too much, fear that he'd severely annoy the president and fear that he'd have a nervous breakdown. But most of the time, for Tony, the fear was a thrill, only encouraging him to do more rebellious and dangerous actions. While Tony found this exciting, Steve watched the TV with nerves, worrying about what he'd do without him, and how he'd raise their son Peter. Yes, Peter was 17, but he was still only a child in their eyes.  
Now though, with the divorce finally looming, it was up to Steve to try and raise Peter. Steve had always been the one to help Tony make the right choices concerning their child. Tony wanted to spoil Peter rotten, but Steve tried to give him a proper, middle class childhood. Now they'd be competing for the best parent. Steve had to be fair though, Tony wasn't a terrible parent, in fact, he was brilliant. He'd gotten Peter into science, although it wasn't the scientific branch either of them wanted, it was still science. He'd always make sure he could pick Peter up at school. It was a rare day when Pepper was sent. He'd built a tracking device into Peters phone, so they always knew his stats, and Peter still hadn't figured it out. Tony Stark was the best parent Steve had ever known, although he always needed encouragement when it came to the more practical situations like curfews and relationships. Tonys natural parenting skills were a surprise to Steve after learning about how Howard had treated him. Even though Howard and Steve got on well, he wanted to hit him due to the mistreatment of Tony.  
Today was the day that they would finalise their divorce. Steve had moved back into his Brooklyn apartment, still trying to conceal his identity. He was know as Steve Rogers-Stark to most, and Captain America to few. He'd made his way across town to the divorce office, which was unfortunately on the top floor. Even Captain America was afraid of heights. He wasn't afraid of them until he'd seen Bucky fall to his 'death'. Although he knew Bucky was alive, he knew he wasn't well. Steve approached the skyscraper to be bombarded by paparazzi. He kept his hat down and went on inside. Although there was no paparazzi inside, there was still camera flashes. Businessmen and receptionists had their phones out, snapping the national treasure as he strode past them towards the elevator. Steve stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 17th floor.  
"Okay Pepper, I'll meet you upstairs, lets just get this over with" came a voice from outside the elevator.  
As soon as Steve heard the voice he tried to close the elevator doors quicker, but it was too late. Tony stuck his hand through the door to get in without realising who was on the other side. As soon as he realised he tried to back out, but was unsuccessful. As cocky as Tony was he was quite timid when it came to uncomfortable situations such as this. Although after a while, he begins to get more than cocky, and he starts arguments to make himself less uncomfortable.  
"Steve, how are you on this wonderful day?" The billionaire asked, as the elevator began to move.  
"Don't do this Tony, lets just get up there and get it over with"  
Before Tony could reply with a witty response there was a jutter, and the elevator came to a halt, with both the superheroes falling over onto the floor.


	2. Hour 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first hour spent in the elevator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> helloo, this is my first Steve/Tony fic, so words of encouragement would be brilliant! this chapter involves a few wee swear words here and there 
> 
> p.s, I'm Scottish so a lot of the words aren't spelt wrong, just the British way!
> 
> Also, the chapters will get longer, its just meant to be a little tense and awkward between the two at the moment so there isn't much dialogue, only awkward looks!

Without a seconds hesitation Tony got up to speak into the microphone, demanding that he be rescued from the elevator, and if he wasn't he'd sue the company so much their childrens children would still be paying for it. Clearly Tony was more uncomfortable than Steve first assumed. And then the voice came, telling them both a message they did not want to hear.  
"Hello sirs, I'm sorry to inform you that our elevator technician is on holiday at the moment, we have phoned him though and he's on the first flight back from France. Again sirs, we apologise for this disruptence to your day"  
As soon as they heard where he was coming from they quickly figured out how long they would be stuck together. At least 8 hours.  
"Shit, I need to get Peter at school, Pepper will kill me and Fury is making me go to some shitty birthday party. This is your fault Steve, its your weight that made us get stuck! Why do you have to be all muscle."  
As soon as those words slipped from Tonys mouth Steve could see he regretted it. Steve had no plans to act hostile towards Tony, after all, they'd shared a happy life together for years and raised a son. But, if he dared criticise him or insult him, he wasn't going to stand there and take it. Steve began to think about their life together and their milestones, New York, the wedding, the adoption. It all had to end so horribly with a divorce. In the last year their marriage really began to fall apart when they realised Steve would outlive Tony. Although they still had years together it caused arguments. Tony wanted to leave the Avengers and travel the world with Steve. Although Steve had traveled the world he never really got to see the world, only fly over it or run through it. Tony however had been everywhere, and had a variety of favourite places to go.  
In the last few months, Tonys moods started to dip significantly. He'd resorted to drinking again and was even making funeral plans for him and Steve. He had bought a private family lot, since he didn't want to be buried near his father. Steve tried to be there for him, he really really tried, but it was difficult. He would lock himself away in his lab looking at photos of when they were 'young', which was really only 10 years ago at their wedding, or thats what Steve always caught him doing. Bruce Banner and Reed Richards visited him a lot but Steve just busied himself, assuming it was science work, which he didn't want to know about. He loved Tony until the end, and if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure he'd stopped yet.  
It was Tony who suggested a separation. He could see that his moods were beginning to affect morale in the tower. Steve would constantly be in the gym, or visiting Sam. He thought that Steve didn't care for him so much anymore. Yeah he tried to help him stop drinking, but it felt like he only did because they were married. It was a horrible thing to think but in the last few months Tony was almost diagnosed with depression and social anxiety. Tony Stark, the great billionaire, had to sit down in a quiet room after company speeches and get his mind back to normal. When Tony slept he often woke up sweating buckets, with evidence of him being restless. There had even been a few times he'd woken up crying and screaming. But because him and Steve were in different rooms no one knew except him. He wished he could tell Steve, and he knew he could, but Steve was the worst when it came to cheering him up. He resorted to old fashioned jokes about the war, and spoke about how "back in the day". Yes they were married, but sometimes it didn't feel that way. Although Tony still loved him like his husband in these moments, he still loved him till through the separation, but at this moment, being confined in the elevator with him, alone together for the first time in almost a year, Tony wasn't sure if he'd ever loved him more.  
"Well I guess we'll be here for a while then, its a shame you didn't bring one of those tin suits" Steve mentioned while lowering himself to sit on the elevator floor.  
"Yeah so I could get out of here" Tony retorted, clearly feeling uncomfortable again. Steve could sense that he wanted the hours to pass quickly, but they both knew that wouldn't happen.  
Tony was refusing to look anywhere near Steve, but all Steve could do was look at his face and try to remember all the details that he loved. He knew that after the papers were signed he'd only see him at parties or in the news. He studied the stress lines on his forehead. They started to appear after New York, once Tonys nightmares began, his anxiety worsened, and he began to get claustrophobia, scared that he couldn't escape, just like he thought he couldn't escape the galaxy that he'd visited that day. He studied his eyes, the brown making his grey hairs stand out. Technically Steve was older, but he only looked 30, where as Tony was 50.  
"Tony, we're going to be stuck in here together for a while unless God blesses us with a miracle, it would be nice if you didn't ask so hostile towards me. Just because we're going to be divorced doesn't mean we can't still be friends"  
Tony was obviously shocked by this, he didn't expect Steve to want to be friends, but he had to keep up the facade that he was over him. Tony knew that if they were friends after the separation he'd make a move again, and it would kill their friendship.  
"Friends? Steve we've been together 20 years, we can't be friends, we couldn't even pretend for to for Peters graduation. We sat on different sides of the hall."  
"Don't blame that on me, you were there first with Pepper, you could have kept me a seat, all you had to do was put a coat down. Even Pepper agrees. I had to sit over there, it was you that made Peter wave in two different directions, not me."  
"Bullshit! You could have asked someone to move, everyone faints at the sight of Steve Rogers, where as everyone runs at the sight of Tony Stark. That's why we're not together anymore!"  
That hit home. After today he was Steve Rogers, part of his identity was about drop off, he'd no longer share a name with his son, or his husband, well, soon to be ex. It also hadn't occurred to him that Tony was upset about people 'fainting' (which wasn't accurate). Sure people seemed to take more to Steve, but he'd never assumed it was hurtful, he thought Tony just ignored it, and passed it off as the fact that Steve was the national treasure now, a stay at home, gay dad? Most of America loved it. But then he remembered, Tony sold weapons to the government that were used in wars, and sometimes against American citizens, chances were Tonys weapons had killed more than a few Americans.  
Divorce really brought out the honest side in people


	3. Hour 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this being so late! I'm only holiday at the minute so its difficult to find time to post and write, but chapter 4 will be up next weekend!

The beginning of the 2nd hour stuck in the elevator was looming. So far Tony and Steve had been confined to each others air for 53 minutes, Steve was counting. Tony sat on his phone, trying to get work done. Unfortunately Pepper had all the other things like his tablet, so he only had a few minutes of battery left. Even the great Tony Stark couldn't master an everlasting battery, only a 48 hour one.   
Every so often, one of the men would look up at the other, and quickly get back to what they were doing. Steve luckily carried a bag everywhere with him. In the bag had his phone, a sketch pad, book and his wallet. Most people are protective over their phones, Steve however adored his wallet. It was one that Bucky had gotten him way back in the 40's. It was leather with his initials "S.R" carved into it, although in the early years of their marriage Tony had taken it to carve in an extra S. Although it was worn it still meant the world to Steve. Inside was the average things, money, credit cards and photos. One of the photos was Tony and Steve on their wedding day, with Peter covered in cake. Another photo was of the Avengers, a few weeks after New York at a celebratory party Tony had thrown. The photo was 20 years old, but Steve kept reprinting them so he could never forget. It was the night that Steve realised his feelings for Tony, and vice versa. That night they shared their first kiss as Steve was about to leave, but instead stayed the night. The final photo was from a few years ago. It was at Peters middle school graduation. Steve, Tony and Peter in his gowns. It was one of the last good times they'd had together as a family.   
Steve looked up to find Tony staring at him, but he quickly returned to his phone.  
"Tony, come on, you realise your phones going to die soon, I can hear it beeping! We might as well use this as an opportunity to talk about whats going to happen with Peter." Steve said, he was fed up of awkward eye contact.  
"Its going to die soon, yes. But until then I intend to use it to avoid talking to you. Peter is fine, he's 17, he can do what he wants." Tony snipped. Steve was beginning to get even more annoyed with the genius.  
"Come on Stark, we're stuck in this tiny elevator for hours and we aren't getting out anytime soon, we might as well talk to pass the time." As soon as the words left Steve's mouth, he realised it was a big mistake. Tony's breaths got sharper and quicker. His brow became sweaty and his eyes wide. Tony was claustrophobic and Steve had just set him into a panic attack.  
"Shit Steve, we can't get out! What if the chains snap and we fall down, we're 7 floors up!" Tony yelled, getting to his feet and frantically looking for a way out.   
Steve grabbed his bag and took his water and the paper bag. He always carried one in case of an attack like this. Tony hadn't had a panic attack in months, maybe years, but that had always been because he only went in elevators if need be. The tower was spacious with no small spaces, even the wardrobes were the size of the normal, middle class bedrooms.   
Tony became to get more panicked, sweating more and taking quicker breaths.  
"Tony breathe! In through your nose, and out through your mouth!" Steve said soothingly, repeating it several times while rubbing his back. "Breathe in the bag, it'll make it better. Come on, we can get through this!"   
Nothing was helping, his panic attack was getting more and more dangerous. Tony could lash out and start throwing things to help himself, but it wouldn't help anyone. Steve could feel Tonys reactor pumping through his suit, even when on a dangerous mission Steves heart never went this fast. If Tony didn't calm down quickly his reactor could stop working, then they'd have a massive problem. A panic attack was manageable, a heart attack? Not so much.  
Then, possibly the best decision Steve had made in the elevator so far, and possibly the worst, he moved the bag down and pressed his lips against Tonys lips. That was the first time in a year that Steve felt intimate with his love.  
"What the fuck Steve? We're divorced why are you kissing me?!" Tony yelled  
"I heard that doing something surprising gives you a shock that can stop a panic attack"  
Both of the men were too consumed in their argument to realise that Tonys panic attack had stopped. There was an awkward feeling in the elevator, with Tony yelling abuse at Steve for 'inappropriate actions'. Both men were too embarrassed to admit it, but they both rather liked the kiss and loved every single second it lasted.


	4. Peters Hour.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry! I promised it for Saturday and its Tuesday! At the minute I'm still trying to figure out how to word my thoughts so its taking a bit more time than usual. Hopefully this chapter is good, it gave me a bit of a break from intense Stony!   
> Also, feel free to send me criticism/compliments on tumblr - http://dean--sam--cas.tumblr.com/

After school study support was the worst. Although Peter could get the subway home his Dad insisted on picking up. It was nice having a private driver, but he'd never learnt to drive, and it always drew attention to him. Peter was good at sciences, maths and PE, but English and French absolutely murdered him. His sciences didn't need revision, although French and English took over his life. Considering he'd spent his life listening to his Dad speaking Japanese and Chinese and Spanish, and his Pops speaking some basic French and German, he was atrocious at languages.

He'd been standing waiting for half an hour. Dad was never late. He looked at his phone to see several texts from his family

Aunt Tasha 16:47  
Hey kiddo, your dad won't be able to pick you up tonight, long story, speak tonight x

Aunt Tasha was always short and sweet, where as Uncle Bruce couldn't tell a story without turning it into a massive speech

Uncle Bruce 16:59  
Hi Peter, how was school today? You'll need to get the subway home today. Your parents are in a bit of trouble today. Stuck in an elevator on the way to you know what. How are you feeling about that? They should be out by midnight but its a bit up in the air at the minute. We can speak when you get home tonight. Be safe, I know you will be but you know what I mean.

Uncle Clint 17:05  
Yo creeper, meet any pretty ladies today? ur idiot dads are stuck in a lift. Get home and we can laugh at the media reports, try not and die please, ur dinner will get cold if u do 

Peter sent a group text to them all with a simple "OK." It was nice how much they all cared about him. He could remember when he was young that they all took him under their wings, he'd had a tough childhood until his Dad and Pops adopted him. They didn't like to speak about it, but he knew the story. His biological parents died in a crash, then his Uncle Ben was shot, with his Aunt May dying soon after since she took it so hard. He didn't forget about them, he visited their ashes and had photos of them. But his Dad and Pops did the best job they could to act like his biological parents. He knew he had another family, but after growing up with the Avengers, they were his family.

His parents trapped in an elevator together though? That wouldn't go well for either of them. They couldn't even sit together at Peters school events without arguing and just embarrass him. He felt anxious, angry and frustrated all at the same time. His dad would probably just argue and point out his pops flaws. His pop however would just try and help, probably by ignoring him, or trying to be civilised with him (which from experience, does not help)

As Peter was walking towards the subway he realised that none of his uncles or aunt realised what time he got home, so he could take his time today. He could walk through Central Park, visit that fantastic pizza place in Brooklyn then eat it at his Pops place or finally get round to that Korean place that Gwen had told him about. After several minutes contemplation, he decided on Korean food. There were no paparrazzi in Korea Town, and it wouldn't leave a greasy smell in Pops apartment. Now it was just a question as to whether he'd get the subway there or web it.

New Message to Gwen Stacy  
Hey, I'm finally trying that Korean place you told me about! With the meatballs!?!?!?! Anyway, see you tonight, love you x

Peter constantly had to keep people updated, it was difficult, forget to text one person and everyone freaks out. Thats what happens though when you have superhereos for a family. Or so he thought.

On his way to Korea town he stopped by the river where his familys ashes were scattered. He still wasn't entirely sure if he'd be scattered there, buried in the Stark allotment, or just be buried anywhere like Pops. He was just glad that he didn't have to deal with it, he just had to leave it to his next of kin.

Although Peter loved his biological family, he felt closer to his adoptive family. He still lay flowers at their ashes, and looked after the surrounding area, but he'd never really gotten a proper chance to know his parents, uncle and aunt. He had their belongings, but he never kept much, only a few photos, his fathers briefcase and airlooms.

He hoped he'd be buried near Gwen. He loved her so much. His dad found it gross, Pops found it adorable. Without Gwen, Peter would never be who he was today. Without her he'd be dead, Electro would have gotten to him and he'd be more of a fried spider than Spiderman. Peter spoke to Gwen everyday, he never missed an opportunity to speak to her. Even on Christmas day he'd sneak away from the tower to speak to her. He wasn't sure if his parents actually knew or they thought he was asleep. Either way, a day without speaking to Gwen Stacy was like trying to out a fire with more flames, it only added to Peters love for her.

After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder.


	5. Hour 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written from Tonys POV.   
> Also actually getting back into writing this again. Had a bit of a gap there. But anyway I hope you enjoy, and again, comments are always appreciated!

I felt something crash against my lips. Something so incredibly soft but with so much energy behind it. My breathing was rapid, and my heart was pounding, but this object smashing against me was like an antidote. It stopped everything. For the first time in god knows how long even my thoughts stopped. I was in a moment of complete peace. None of my hopes, dreams and worries were an issue in that instant. It felt like watching 100 fireworks go off at once, all while feeling like I was in Steves arms again.

Then it stopped, and I looked at Steve. That bastard had just kissed me, on the day we were getting divorced. Did he really think that today of all days was the right time to get back together? We'd been split up for a year now. He has no right to assume that I'm happy to kiss him, as much as I want to whenever I see him.

"What the fuck Steve? We're divorced why are you kissing me?!" 

We're not divorced yet Tony, at this moment in time we're just separated. We haven't signed any papers yet. We could still get back together.

"I heard that doing something surprising gives you a shock that can stop a panic attack"

That was true, I'd read it in some reading I'd done before bed. However that was more than a way to stop me panicking. That was Steve trying to tell me that he still loved me. Or was it? I had a habit for completely over thinking situations. I'll blame that on Peter. I was so used to my father hating me that I wasn't surprised when my son told me he hated me, even if it was because I didn't give him an extra piece of candy. Whenever Peter fell out with me I'd always panic and want to buy him everything he could ever want or need to make it up to him, but Steve always reminded me that we can't just spoil him. Only when people have everything they ever wanted will they realise what they really want. I'm almost certain that what Peter wants is for the people he loves to stop dying. His whole biological family had passed before he was 5. 

I was obsessed with dying and had actually come to accept it. Although I think the idea of death is toughest for Steve. He'll have to live to see his own son get old before his eyes and bury him. Thats something no parent should ever have to do. Despite the fact I always felt unlucky that I wouldn't be able to live with the love of my life till the end of his life, I always felt lucky in the sense I'd never have to deal with his death, I'd only see him again in whatever afterlife we end up in. If I don't go to Hell that is. Steve has had to see everyone he loved from his old life die, and he wasn't even there to see them grow old. It always hurt to join him at funerals, especially when people would ask who he was, and how he knew the person that had died. Of course they recognised him, but not many people knew that he'd been the subject of an experiment that slowed down his ageing.

"Steve do you have any idea how inappropriate it is to kiss me! Thats a violation of my rights! I was completely unaware of what you were doing and its not appreciated at all. Totally, completely, insanely inappropriate. I am one of the few who does not want the great Captain America to push his lips against mines! Do not do it again, capeeshe!" I yelled in his direction. Although he had completely zoned out. "Hey, you understand? Or have you hit your head!"

"Sorry Tony, it won't happen again, completely forgot my boundaries." Steve whispered, before looking up from the ground to meet my gaze.In that moment, all I wanted to do was grab him again, and kiss him, although after a year of not speaking I couldn't do it, along with the fact I'd just ranted about boundaries. 

Not a moment has gone by when I haven't loved Steve. Even now, with the divorce looming I was still just as in love with him as I was 20 years ago. As a child I despised him. Howard had always preferred him, even though he was presumed dead. I was always trying to live up to him. He was like the older brother who wasn't there that I so desperately tried to beat. My house was filled with him. Howard liked to collect the memorabilia, as it reminded him of his greatest experiment. Turning a scrawny little boy into a super soldier, and Americas greatest treasure. However with all the photos around, despite hating him, I always admired him in a way that couldn't be explain. I mean he gave up his life for the sake of America, or at the time everyone believe he had. I even felt slightly attracted to him. Although in those days being gay wasn't even spoken about, especially in the Stark family. 

When I met the super soldier I would one day call my husband though, I instantly saw what my father saw. I was in complete awe of him. The stories, photos and reports of him were nothing compared to actually seeing him. He was one of the most beautiful men I'd ever seen, and still had the charm that so many men lack in the 21st century. He was polite, but forceful. Calm, with a fire inside him. I was instantly infatuated with him. But I was with Pepper, and he was from the time when homosexuality was definitely a no go. I'd come to terms with the fact that the idea of Captain America and I was just a fantasy. Until the celebration party after the New York situation. Pepper had to leave early as she had a meeting in Hong Kong in the morning, so I had the tower to myself and decided to throw a party. I was still uneasy about almost being trapped in some odd galaxy, and being asked about what it was like definitely set me off. But the whole night I felt like Steve had been watching me, I mean I'd definitely been watching him, who could't! As he was leaving I walked him to the elevator. I'd started feeling more comfortable around him then, and as though we could be friends, despite my hidden feelings for him. But as he was leaving the party he leaned in to give me a goodbye hug, me being me though, I totally misinterpreted and planted my lips on his. I instantly realise the mistake and pulled back, but with Steves arms still around me he pulled me back in tightly and picked up from where we left off. One thing led to another and I asked him to stay the night. Not long after I broke up with Pepper, at first she didn't take it well, and it took quite some time before she was fully okay with the fact I was in love with America himself. 

After I'd finished screaming at Steve I settled back into my corner, trying to avoid thinking about how trapped we were in the tiny little lift. He looked incredibly awkward standing there. I felt incredibly awkward sitting here. I'd tried to avoid him since we split, I knew that all my feelings would come rushing back, even though they never left. But 8 hours in a lift with Steve would be an ultimate challenge. He was right about not keeping him a seat at Peters school things. I knew I'd just want to grab his hand. I was so incredibly proud of our boy, and I knew Steve was the only person who could deal with me constantly speaking about him. But it wouldn't be easy sitting next to him in such a moment of pride, despite desperately wanting to. 8 hours, he knew he'd end up declaring his love for him at some point. He had to ask him. He had to know what Steve felt too. They could still turn back, and there was much less time for them to do it.

"Steve, can I ask you something..." I ask, Steve looks up from his sketch pad.

"You know you can ask me anything Tony, I feel like thats a given considering we were together 20 years."

Do I really want to ask this? 8 hours in an elevator. Thats a long time if he says he doesn't care about me anymore. Imagine how awkward it would be then, you'd end up wanting to shoot yourself with your lasers. 

"Can I have a drink of your water?"


	6. Chapter Six

What a mistake that was. Why was Steves instant reaction to plant his lips upon genius, zillionaire, (former) playboy, philanthropic Tony? He'd spent the last year using ever possible second to try and move on. Their relationship was toxic, he knew that, but the things that are the worst for you are usually the most addictive. And Tony was the addiction that he couldn't shake. He'd met people during the war with awful addictions, people on lining the streets of New York City who were so addicted to heroin or meth they couldn't live a second without it. Yet Steves addiction to Tony surpassed all of them. Yes, he could live without Tony, he had lived without Tony and even if they stayed together, there would come a day where Tony passed, and Steve lived on. And that, is the worst kind of addiction. To know how heartbreakingly close you are to something, yet to pass it by as though it means nothing to you, as though its simply another bystander in the street. 

Yet Steve ruined it, he'd just given his addiction the boost it needed to last another ten years. The kiss was electrifying, it was the kind of kiss you would remember for years to come, all because of the feelings, emotion and passion behind it. Even Captain America got scared sometimes and thinking about the love of his life having a heart attack in an elevator before being able to tell him what he felt, one last time - well that terrified Steve. It made him feel as though he was having a panic attack himself. Watching Tony shivering, struggling to breathe, when his heart was already physically fragile enough, that made Steve emotionally fragile. Thinking about all this brought Steve close to tears, even while Tony was yelling and cursing him, all he could think about was how close he kept coming to losing him. First New York, then the Avengers Civil War. He'd lost Tony as a friend, but losing him as a co-parent, as a partner was more than he could bear. By hell was he losing him completely. 

Yes, their relationship had its bumps, although perhaps their bumps were more like mountains for them to overcome. Yes, they'd gotten together after New York, but when Tony found out that Bucky had killed his parents, well, it wasn't just an Avengers Civil War. Tony and Steve had been a relatively new couple at the time, yet they were still living together. Tony had bought an apartment near Philadelphia so he could easily travel between Avenger duties at SHIELD in DC and Stark Industry in New York. During that time Steve would just hang out in Philly, he'd learnt where to get the best cheesesteak and pizza - although it did not beat Brooklyn in the slightest. He spent his weekends wandering around all the civil war sites, visiting the Smithsonian in DC or travelling up to New York to see what the team was up to. That was when he wasn't sent away on missions around the world. When Tony found out about Bucky, their worlds came shattering down around them. The idyllic lifestyle they had created for themselves shattered like snow globe hitting the ground. Steve loved Tony even then, but he knew he had to walk away from him, and Captain America to help his friend. He probably should have guessed then what their relationship would come to, but after the Infinity War they both realized how much they meant to each other. New York was bad enough but watching some of their closest friends be slaughtered in front of them was enough for anyone to reunite, no matter how big the wedge that drove them apart was. It was then that they decided to get married. And shortly after Peter joined their family. After that, you never would've known their family had been anything but perfect. Even when Steve and Tony fought, the battles they'd faced together - parenthood included was enough to make them forget what had happened. 

Yet the last five years, when Tony became increasingly aware of his impending death was the ultimate nail in the coffin it seemed.

At least, until they'd come face to face in the elevator. 

Little did either hero know that this fateful elevator ride would completely change everything. They both knew that they were still completely in love. They were just both too stubborn to admit it to the other. You see, that's the problem when an egotistical genius falls in love with the toughest guy in the world. Neither of them want to be the first to admit they're wrong. 

"Steve do you have any idea how inappropriate it is to kiss me! Thats a violation of my rights! I was completely unaware of what you were doing and its not appreciated at all. Totally, completely, insanely inappropriate. I am one of the few who does not want the great Captain America to push his lips against mines! Do not do it again, capeeshe!" Tony yelled at Steve. "Hey, you understand? Or have you hit your head!"

"Sorry Tony, it won't happen again, completely forgot my boundaries." Steve whispered. All Steve wanted to do was grab this asshole of a man and kiss him again. Yet the reaction Tony had was like he'd kissed a man back when it was unacceptable to be gay. It made him feel tiny, as though he'd just outed himself back in a time when 'being out' wasn't even a phrase. Kissing Tony made Steve feel, invincible. Like he was going to solve every problem with the world. Even that kiss felt like that, even though the immediate reaction was anything but. 

Steve figured the best thing to do was return to the sketch book and continue trying to hide the tear-stained sketches of Tony he had.

"Steve, can I ask you something..." Tony stuttered. 

"You know you can ask me anything Tony, I feel like thats a given considering we were together 20 years." Steve responded,lifting his gaze from his drawings. Suddenly he felt move uneasy than earlier. What on earth could Tony want? He'd just yelled at him for intruding on his boundaries. Maybe he was going to ask if they could put it all behind them - Ha, who was Steve kidding, Tony hated his guts. 

"Can I have a drink of your water?" Tony whispered, clearly still shook from the events that had just unfolded. 

What a let-down. Steve was hoping he'd declare his love for him, and that through all their issues, even now, it hadn't faltered. 

"Yes of course," Steve said, pausing to hand over the bottle, "You need to stay hydrated after your panic attack. Do you have any of your anxiety pills with you?"

Steve was impressed with how much he remembered from when they were together. If this had happened then Steve would be handing him something to eat, while fetching his pills and trying to soothe him. 

"Why do you remember all this Steve, we've been separated well over year, I think you need to move on." Tony responded while fumbling about his breast pocket for his tablets, "I mean I certainly have." 

For the record, this was quite possibly the largest lie that had ever left the metal heart mans mouth. 

It was also the moment that the heart of the man who was frozen in time, shattered like the ice that surrounded him for 50 years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I last updated this like 3 years ago ?? but I came across it and suddenly felt a need to start writing again, I'll keep going depending on the reaction this gets!


End file.
